By Christina Young and Kuaiwi Laka Makua
March is National Nutrition month, a time to reflect on the foods that have nourished our kūpuna and continue to sustain our communities today. Prior to Western contact, Native Hawaiian diets centered on nutrient-dense foods that supported health across the lifespan.
Staple starches such as ʻulu (breadfruit), ʻuala (sweet potato), and kalo (taro), along with proteins and fats like moa (chicken), puaʻa (pork), and iʻa (fish), formed the foundation of Native Hawaiian diets deeply connected to ʻāina and culture.
These traditional foods connect us back to the ʻāina and culture while remaining essential for our future. The 2023 E Ola Mau key nutrition recommendations emphasize restoring access to traditional foods and food systems, developing culturally grounded nutrition education materials, and improving access to healthy foods for ʻohana.
Together, these key recommendations highlight a critical role of traditional foods and food sovereignty in advancing Native Hawaiian health.
In response to these recommendations, Papa Ola Lōkahi launched Nui ka ʻAi, Piha ka Naʻau, an initiative centered on food sovereignty, community-based education, and sustainable nutrition practices. This effort aims to promote lifelong wellbeing by empowering the lāhui with knowledge and resources rooted around traditional foods.
Through Nui ka ʻAi, Piha ka Naʻau, individuals can learn about Native Hawaiian traditional foods, where to purchase them locally, and how to prepare them in ways that honor tradition while fitting into contemporary lifestyles.
One component of this initiative is the development of recipes that reimagine traditional foods in familiar, modern dishes that are both ʻono and easy to prepare.
Recipes such as ʻuala alfredo, ʻulu cabbage stew, and kalo sinigang demonstrate how traditional starches can be easily incorporated into everyday meals. By bridging traditional foods with contemporary dishes, these recipes provide approachable first steps towards reconnecting with culture while promoting nutritious meals for ʻohana.
As we observe National Nutrition Month, Nui ka ʻAi, Piha ka Naʻau reminds us that nourishing our bodies is also a way to nourish our naʻau – strengthening connections to culture, community, and ʻāina through food.
